Zutara Week: Mythology Picture

Now I know you all are going to want to shoot me, but read this first.

Hephaestus was born to Zeus and Hera, and being an ugly and sickly child, they threw him down to Earth, where he was raised by Thetis He became a smith and became strong in body although he was unable to walk. When Hera learned of how good he was at making jewelry, she brought him back to Olympus as the god of fire and forges. He was given Aphrodite as a wife, who often had affairs behind his back. Even so, he often gave her beautiful jewelry, including a golden girdle which made her even more beautiful and irresistible to men.

Aphrodite, the goddess of love, was born out of the sea and her parents are unknown. She was given to Hephaestus partially to resolve infighting over her. Bored by the the ugly Hephaestus she began an affair with his brother Ares, the god of war.

Now I know this isn't the perfect Zutara fit. Fuck its hardly even Zutara, but bear with me. I have a point.

Zuko reminded me a lot of Hephaestus. An unwilling outcast with a lot of pride on the outside, but a lot of love inside. (Despite knowledge of her constant cheating, Hephaestus kept Aphrodite as his wife.)

This is particularly poignant not in the sense that Katara is actually cheating on Zuko, but that he is trying to win her over and make her trust him. Katara, who has no reason to love or trust him, ignores him (or teases him mercilessly, like in the show.)

Aang isn't so much the god of war, Ares (quite the opposite actually) but is mostly there as a representation of where Katara's loyalties lie (and also Ares was Aphrodite's most infamous lover)

I think this piece shows a lot of the real "canon" Zutara: unsure and strained.